According to the Daily News' sources, the hip surgery from which Rodriguez, 37, is rehabbing likely will derail his playing career. A-Rod is owed $114 million over the next five years, but those sources believe he will consider a settlement or an outright retirement.

"I don't know why he would want to go through the pain of rehabbing and trying to play up to the caliber of player he was, and come back to a game where nobody wants him," a baseball official told the newspaper. "If he did that, he'd be a part-time player and presumably unable to achieve any of the incentive clauses in the contract or even the milestones."

In response to the retirement rumors, sources close to Rodriguez told Yahoo! Sports that he fully intends to rehab his hip in hopes of resuming his career with New York. Rodriguez, who had surgery on his left hip in mid-January, will be out at least until the All-Star break. And Yankees general manager Brian Cashman admitted earlier this week that the third baseman might miss the entire season.

Thus, the team already was preparing for the possibility that Rodriguez's career was over. Throw in the latest PED accusations, which Rodriguez has vehemently denied, and the Daily News speculates that the chances of him donning the pinstripes again are slim. Soon after the latest steroids allegations, in fact, ESPNNewYork.com reported the Yankees were exploring ways to void Rodriguez's contract.

Rodriguez admitted in 2009 that he used PEDs from 2001-03 while with the Texas Rangers, but he said he hadn’t used them since. The Miami New Times report published earlier this week, however, tied Rodriguez to PED use from 2009-12.

In 122 games last season, Rodriguez hit .272/.353/.430 with 18 homers and 57 RBIs. During his 19-season major league career, he has a .300/.384/.560 slash line with 647 homers, 1,950 RBIs and 318 stolen bases. He is a three-time AL MVP and a 14-time All-Star, and he won the World Series with the Yankees in 2009.